Frances Lankin, chair of United Way
By michelle-lee : Tropicana Community Services, (TCSO), a Toronto-based multi-service organization, is the largest Black social service delivery agency in Canada. Spearheaded by the late Robert Brown in 1980 to assist disadvantaged youth and their families, the organization now serves close to 15,000 clients annually. The organization’s mandate is to raise self-esteem in youth, improve accessibility to culturally themed counseling services and reduce the high school drop out rate among Black students. Current services also include settlement services, tutoring, youth leadership programs, employment counseling and Success Through Aggression Replacement Training They also sponsor Camp Tropicana, a summer camp which charges parents $20/day or $100/week per child. They solicit donations to help parents who cannot afford to send their kids to camp.
At TCSO’s 17th Annual Caribbean Ball, the organization paid tribute to community members who have “made a difference”. Derrick McLennon, the co-founder of the organization was the recipient of the first Founders Award. Frances Lankin, a former politician (11 years a MPP-Beaches/East York) and the outgoing chair of United Way was presented with the President’s Award and Hamlin Grange, co-founder of the BBPA (Black Business and Professional Association) and a diversity consultant received the Community Builder Award.
TCSO provides all youth, newcomers, people of Black and Caribbean heritage and others in need with opportunities and alternatives that lead to success and positive life choices. In 1984 it became the first Black member agency of the United Way when it received $35,000 in funding and now receives approximately $400,000 annually. Three levels of government and private donors contribute the major TCSO funding which is nearly $10 million annually. The organization is currently fundraising to establish a Centre of Excellence and has so far raised $500,000. It is hoping to raise an additional $350,000 to use as a down payment for its own facility.
Today Tropicana is a growing service-delivery agency with programs designed to address issues affecting all youth, newcomers, members of the Caribbean and Black communities and others in need.
